New Revised Standard Version
Then David commanded that no one but the Levites were to carry the ark of God, for the LORD had chosen them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister to him forever.

Contemporary English Version
He said, "Only Levites will be allowed to carry the chest, because the LORD has chosen them to do that work and to serve him forever."

New American Bible
At that time he said, “No one may carry the ark of God except the Levites, for the LORD chose them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister to him forever.”

Douay-Rheims Bible
Then David said: No one ought to carry the ark of God, but the Levites, whom the Lord hath chosen to carry it, and to minister unto himself for ever.

Then David said: No one ought to carry the ark of God, but the Levites, whom the Lord hath chosen to carry it, and to minister unto himself for ever.

them hath

Numbers 4:2-15,19,20 Take the sum of the sons of Caath from the midst of the Levites, by their houses and families. . . .

Numbers 7:9 But to the sons of Caath he gave no wagons or oxen: because they serve in the sanctuary and carry their burdens upon their own shoulders.

Deuteronomy 10:8 At that time he separated the tribe of Levi, to carry the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to stand before him in the ministry, and to bless in his name until this present day.

Deuteronomy 31:9 And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it to the priests the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to all the ancients of Israel.

Joshua 3:3 And began to proclaim: When you shall see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests of the race of Levi carrying it, rise you up also, and follow them as they go before:

Joshua 6:6 Then Joshua, the son of Nun, called the priests, and said to them: Take the ark of the covenant: and let seven other priests take the seven trumpets of the jubilee, and march before the ark of the Lord.

2 Chronicles 35:3 And he spoke to the Levites, by whose instruction all Israel was sanctified to the Lord, saying: Put the ark in the sanctuary of the temple, which Solomon the son of David king of Israel built: for you shall carry it no more: but minister now to the Lord your God, and to his people Israel.

to minister

Numbers 8:13,14,24-26 And thou shalt set the Levites in the sight of Aaron and of his, and shalt consecrate them being offered to the Lord, . . .

Numbers 18:1-8 And the Lord said to Aaron: Thou, and thy sons, and thy father's house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the sins of your priesthood. . . .

Isaiah 66:21 And I will take of them to be priests, and Levites, saith the Lord.

Jeremiah 33:17-22 For thus saith the Lord: There shall not be cut off from David a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel. . . .